Professional Learning Courses

MacICT supports the meaningful and innovative integration of ICT in teaching to support syllabus implementation and pedagogy. Our team develops comprehensive professional learning courses delivered in a blended approach.

We aim to support participants in building a deeper understanding of how to design meaningful learning which supports students learning through authentic, relevant real-world contexts that genuinely meets NSW Syllabus outcomes and requirements.

Professional Learning at MacICT

“Education is the powerhouse of modern societies.”21st Century Learning Reference Group, 2014

MacICT services support the development of a culture of continuous learning, leading to confident, connected, lifelong learners with increasingly competent skills and digital competencies. We aim to support educators to see the affordances and capacity of technology to transform learning.

What we know about learning in the 21st century and of knowledge has changed. Learning involves thinking, and is no longer just about acquiring knowledge. Knowledge is about creating knowledge and using knowledge . In this ‘Knowledge Age’, knowledge and ideas are the main sources of economic growth leading to new patterns of work, requiring workers with new and different skills. MacICT aims to support teachers to develop new knowledge, skills, attributes and capabilities to support education in the Knowledge Age.

Download Term Calendar

Download our latest calendar of teacher professional learning by school Term.

Questions?

Through the MyPL@Edu online system. DoE staff can log in with their DoE credentials. Non-DoE staff are most welcome to attend our courses. You will need to sign up for a username and password to enrol via MyPL. For instructions on how to do this please click here. Follow the links provided for each course or search MyPL@Edu via the Event Code.

MacICT operates on the NSW School Term calendar. Each Term’s calendar of courses is released at the end of the previous Term. Join our Mailing List to keep up to date.

Some of our courses are delivered via Video Conference, Webinar or in a self-paced online mode. See course details for more information.

This varies for each course. Some are part of a series and continue for a few weeks. Some courses contain ‘follow-on’ components after the day. See course details for more information.

Many of our courses are registered by the Quality Teaching Coucil (QTC) from The Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES). These courses are identified with the QTC logo.

For DoE staff, your school as listed in MyPL will be automatically charged for your attendance. Non-DoE participants will be invoiced to the address provided on the enrolment form. NOTE: Any cancellations made within 5 days of the course, or no-shows will be charged to your school.

Coding in the Classroom

Using digital media technologies to enhance learning and teaching for K-6.Coding is becoming an increasingly important skill for 21st century learners. By learning to code, students are also learning mathematical and computational thinking, strategies for problem solving, systematic reasoning, project design and how to effectively communicate their ideas.

Professional Learning in a Digital Age

21st century tools supporting 21st century teachers.Good twenty-first century teachers are good twenty-first century learners. Professional Learning in a Digital Age (PLDA) is a four-week blended course that equips teachers and school leaders with the knowledge, skills and tools needed for personalised, professional learning in a digital age.

Leading Learning in a Technology Rich Environment

During this two-day course, participants will explore key concepts, models, and examples of leading and learning in technology rich environments. Participants experience immersive learning within a cross-platform environment that utilises tablets, laptops, smartphones and current Cloud tools, drawing on these experiences to develop a Technology Rich Toolkit for their school.

Not in Sydney?

We may be able to run our workshops at your school location. If you are interested in organising a workshop at your school please Contactus. Note: Subject to availability of staff. Additional costs may be incurred.

Beginner's Guide to Google Apps for Education

Introducing Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive.With Google Apps available to all teachers and students in NSW Department of Education schools, now is an excellent time to become familiar with the tools and explore how they can best be used to enhance learning in your classroom.

Computational Thinking

What is it, and why is it important for your students?Computational thinking is a problem-solving method that is applied to create solutions that can be implemented using digital technologies. It involves integrating strategies, such as organising data logically, breaking down problems into parts, interpreting patterns and models and designing and implementing algorithms.

Bringing Maths to Life

Integrating ICT into the Mathematics K-6 NSW Syllabus for the Australian CurriculumThe increasing variety and sophistication of software and apps available today allow primary teachers to really enhance and extend learning in Mathematics from remembering and understanding to creating and evaluating. In this workshop we will show teachers how to use technology in innovative ways to more deeply engage students and meet the learning outcomes from the K – 10 syllabus within a technology rich environment.

Towards the HSC with ICT

This course aims to encourage teachers to use ICT in year groups where it is least often used in innovative ways. ‘Towards the HSC with ICT’ will provide teachers with the pedagogical knowledge and practical skills for using ICT strategies that are relevant to the curriculum and assessment requirements of the senior years in humanities subjects with a particular focus on English.

Bringing Programming to Life with Physical Computing

Explore how physical computing can be integrated into the curriculum to engage students in deep learning.Discover how to bring programming to life with physical computing. Learn how to program a microcontroller in order to make a real-world prototype with electronic circuits.

3D Printing and Designing for the Classroom

An introductory workshop for primary and secondary teachers across all KLAs wishing to introduce 3D design and printing into their classrooms and coursework. 3D printing can be a deeply satisfying experience for students raised as screen consumers, and the ultimate constructivist learning activity. It is a forgiving technology and inspires imaginative thinking, problem solving and creativity.

Engineering Fundamentals

Furthering STEM education.The aim of this introductory course is to equip participants with skills and understanding to enable more effective teaching of aspects of the Engineering Focus of the Stage 5 Industrial Technology syllabus, but at a level that encompasses requirements of the Stage 6 Preliminary Engineering Studies course.

Writing Revolution

Creating innovative integrated multimodal texts for Stage 3 and 4 teachers. Students are now finishing school in Year 12 using reading technologies that weren’t invented when they began Kindergarten. In this context, it is crucial that educators stay abreast of technological innovation as it happens so that we may continue to provide relevant and meaningful learning experiences for our students.

Robotics in the Classroom

With LEGOMindstorms®, LEGO WeDo® and more.Robotics provides a highly engaging medium for creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication – four essential skills for learning and ICT within a curriculum context. This workshop promotes independent learning through an inquiry-based approach where participants are encouraged to collaborate and be creative in solving open ended challenges.

Introduction to Python Programming

Using Python programming with your students.This workshop will support participants in getting started with Python’s fast, object-oriented programming language. Python has a low barrier to entry and is supported by a large online community. Its code is used in programs and software that touches every aspect of our lives.

Introduction to Coding with Scratch

Using Scratch visual programming with your students.Scratch is a free visual programming language developed to help simplify the process of creating and programming animations, games, music, interactive stories and more. During this workshop, participants will be introduced to the Scratch programming language and develop skills and confidence to introduce Scratch programming into learning.

Storytelling in a Digital Age

For high school teachers. This one day course will give high school teachers an opportunity to both understand, interpret and participate in new forms of storytelling emerging in the digital age. Teachers will first read and view a wide range of exemplary texts and learn strategies to read, view closely and critically interpret stories in new media formats.

Bringing Science To Life: K-6

Integrating ICT into the NSW K-10 Science SyllabusThe new NSW K-10 Science Syllabus mandates the integration of ICT to support a range of teaching, learning and assessment approaches. This provides great scope for the integration of new and emerging technologies in the design of immersive, authentic learning. In this course, participants will gain confidence and ability to integrate ICT meaningfully into learning and teaching to support the aims and objectives of the new Science K-6 syllabus.

Bringing Science To Life: Stages 4-5

Integrating ICT into the NSW K-10 Science SyllabusStudents come to secondary science classes with a range of experiences and high expectations about practical laboratory experiences. They often bring their own devices but have not yet experienced the range of possibilities available to them to foster their scientific curiosity. In this course, teachers will gain confidence with and ability to integrate ICT meaningfully into learning and teaching to support the aims and objectives of the new Stages 4-5 Science syllabus.

Introducing a range of Microsoft online tools for education.Microsoft Office 365 is a suite of online applications and tools that enable twenty-first century productivity, sharing and collaboration. With Office 365 available to all teachers and students in NSW Department of Education schools, now is an excellent time to become familiar with the tools and explore how they can best be used to enhance learning in your classroom.

Chromebooks A-Z

Chromebooks are a low cost, easy to manage laptop for schools. Chromebooks A-Z is a one day hands-on workshop that equips teachers, school leaders and IT staff to become familiar with Chromebooks. Participants will be involved in activities to explore the features of Chromebooks and how they support the use of Google Apps for Education in the classroom.

Game Development with Unity

Ever wanted to learn how to use a professional game engine?Unity is a powerful, easy to learn game engine that is very flexible and well supported. Unity supports almost every platform and has a huge number of games made with it. Unity has a free version with loads of functionality allowing anyone to use it. Learning Unity is a great first step into learning how to use big game engines.

Good Game Design

From playing to building – transforming students from consumers to designers and creators of digital content.Game design provides a context for inquiry and discovery, leading students to become active problem solvers and to engage in their own learning. Discover how to leverage the strong motivation students have to play digital games by engaging them as designers of digital games.

Unpacking the Design Process for Game Programming

Working through the design process for creating video games. Teachers will gain the tools, frameworks and confidence to facilitate the development of a design mindset in their students by applying it to the game design process. Industry standard vocabulary and skills will be unpacked and there is an emphasis on learning through making.

Bringing Computing to Life

Two day course on raising the bar in teaching computing.This two-day “Bringing Computing to Life” workshop will provide a range of exciting strategies and resources for NSW’s four dedicated computing courses (IST, IPT, SDD and IT(MM)) that teachers can use directly in their classrooms to create inspiring computing experiences for their students.

Capturing Stories Through Play

Composing multimodal texts using LEGO Education Story Starter, iPads and more for K-2 teachers. This hands-on workshop is centred on capturing stories naturally told through play, and translating these stories into multimodal texts. Participants will use LEGO Education’s Story Starter kit, a hands-on tool to help inspire collaborative storytelling through communicating stories while playing with LEGO. Creative Apps on the iPad will be used to capture these stories and compose a multimodal text.

Introduction to the ‘FIRST’ LEGO League Robotics Programs

Unpacking this global phenomenon and making it work with your students.F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League (FLL®), a legacy from Segway inventor Dean Kamen, is an annual challenge event for school students from around the world. Their mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders. Do you have LEGO robotics equipment at your school? Take advantage of this fantastic program and take your students to the next level!

Augmenting Reality

A new dimension to learning using Augmented Reality technology.Using augmented reality (AR) in the classroom engages students far beyond worksheets, textbooks, video and traditional print. Enabling students to create AR experiences related to syllabus outcomes will promote deeper learning of content, connect knowledge and information, and promote the development of design, creativity and ICT skills.

CREATIVE VIDEO PRODUCTION: WITH IPADS

Using digital media technologies to enhance learning and teachingParticipants will explore a variety of video capture, movie making and animation apps on iPads to create video clips, and create a short video using Design Thinking as a creative approach to problem solving.

Managing iPads with Apple Configurator

How to use Configurator to install the latest iOS and a selection of free and paid apps. So, you have purchased some iPads for school and found some great apps to use in the classroom – but now managing, purchasing and installing apps is becoming cumbersome – what do you do? Apple Configurator could be the solution. Apple Configurator is ideal for preparing multiple iPads, installing apps and defining settings.

Bringing Science To Life: K-6 Short Courses

Online short coursesThis series of short courses will give participants the confidence to integrate real science and a range of technologies into scientific inquiry and activities around a variety of themes.